/*
 * The contents of this web application are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version 
 * 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this web application except in compliance with 
 * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/.
 * 
 * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, 
 * WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License 
 * for the specific language governing rights and limitations under the License.
 * 
 * The Original Code is owned by and the Initial Developer of the Original Code is 
 * Composite A/S (Danish business reg.no. 21744409). All Rights Reserved
 * 
 * Section 11 of the License is EXPRESSLY amended to include a provision stating 
 * that any dispute, including but not limited to disputes related to the enforcement 
 * of the License, to which Composite A/S as owner of the Original Code, as Initial 
 * Developer or in any other role, becomes a part to shall be governed by Danish law 
 * and be initiated before the Copenhagen City Court ("K�benhavns Byret")            
 */

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;

namespace Composite.Data
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents a reference to a Composite C1 IData item. See <see cref="DataReference{T}"/>.
    /// </summary>
    public interface IDataReference
	{
        /// <summary>
        /// The type of the data item. This type inherits from IData.
        /// </summary>
        Type ReferencedType { get; }

        /// <summary>
        /// If the reference has not been set this is false.
        /// </summary>
        bool IsSet { get; }

        /// <summary>
        /// The key value of the data item being referenced, like the Guid for a page id.
        /// </summary>
        object KeyValue { get; }

        /// <summary>
        /// The data item being referenced.
        /// </summary>
        IData Data { get; }

        /// <exclude />
        string Serialize();
    }
}
